10 years between records, but 30 years between gems: Bowie strikes gold with <i>The New Day</i>

It’s been 10 years since we’ve heard from David Bowie, though it has been more than 20 — probably close to 30 — since we’ve heard the kind of genre-bending, mind-expanding music that made him famous. So why the hype surrounding the Grand White Duke’s latest, due to be released Tuesday?

One listen to the free stream provided by iTunes and it is clear that The New Day is a return to form for Bowie, but not only that. The record, which is awash in discordant guitars , organs and saxophones, connects with the better parts of Bowie’s past catalogue while still feeling fresh and forward-thinking.

The music moves between aggressive proto-art-punk in which the guitar feels like a weapon, to dance tracks and shockingly sensitive ballads (“Where are We Now?” is spare and absolutely beautiful).

Ten years is a long time to wait, but 30 years is even longer. The New Day is the album we’ve been waiting for since Let’s Dance. Believe the hype.

Author: hankkalet

Hank Kalet is a poet and freelance journalist. He is the economic needs reporter for NJ Spotlight, teaches journalism at Rutgers University and writing at Middlesex County College and Brookdale Community College. He writes a semi-monthly column for the Progressive Populist. He is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Knicks, drinks too much coffee and attends as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as his meager finances will allow. He lives in South Brunswick with his wife Annie. View all posts by hankkalet